Carol Ann Nagi, wife of Rob Schehl and mom to Zach Nagi- Schehl, died of heart failure on Friday evening, November 20th, after winning a year- long struggle with cancer. Born in Yokasuka, Japan on July 23, 1947 to parents Patricia Ashton Nagi and Bernard Nagi, she was then raised in Youngstown, Oh. Her two sisters, Suzanne and Pat followed her, surrounded by friends and family. She had a notably close relationship with her Grandma and Grandpap Ashton, who provided a yearly summer retreat in rural PA for the girls.
Upon graduation from Cardinal Mooney High School, Carol entered the religious life with The Dominican Sisters at Our Lady of the Elms in Akron. Here she would continue her education at Ursuline College and learn pastoral studies at Loyola Univ. of Chicago. These respective degrees would train her in Math and Religious Studies, enabling her to teach at several grade schools and then return to her favorite assignment at the girls’ high school at the Elms. Carol taught hundreds of girls to be caring, tolerant and powerful women through courses in Social Justice, World Religions and Volunteer Service.
Her work at the Elms spanned 19 years and consisted of classroom teaching (Math and Theology), creating worship services, volunteer ops. and contemplative retreats with the students. During summers, she also volunteered herself to numerous groups and causes: namely, The American Friends Service Committee for work on the United Farm Workers’ grape boycotts of the 70’s and The Nuclear Freeze movement of the 80’s. She worked with The Akron Catholic Commission on nuclear arms awareness and many other peace and justice issues.
In 1985, after long consideration, Carol left her beloved Elms at 36. After soul- searching during a personal odyssey to the West, she decided she should continue doing service in the Akron area. For 3 years each she led Project Together, and then the infant chapter of Akron’s Habitat for Humanity. PT was an umbrella service agency on the East side that offered assistance and recreational programs around the University Park neighborhood. An arts fest there is still celebrated each year. Under her guidance, HFH in Akron built 10’s of houses and a large warehouse for storing supply.
While still at the Elms, back in 1982, she had hired a youth minister and teacher, Rob Schehl, who would remain her friend through later transitions and eventually become her husband in 1990. Together they set up a house, gardened, hiked and cooked and collaborated on many social concerns. In 1991, Carol began simpler work at the Akron Cooperative Market and she and Rob focused on beginning a family. In 1993, their son, Zachary Wolfe was born and at this career she excelled beyond all past resumes. She was and would remain a fierce and loving teacher of a mom.
During his wee years, she taught Zach and his playmates letters, numbers, the wonders of the natural world and how to be a true human being. (Dad filled in the music part.) With other parents, Carol led reading, tutoring and book programs at Case Elementary, so every child could know the joy of their favorite story and subject.
During junior high, she turned her talents back to work, becoming Interfaith Campus Minister at Stark State College. Together with colleagues, she provided temporal and spiritual support to busy adult students in the form of informal counselings and assistance with school costs and other bills. She had also begun a personal forum for commuter students to get to know each other better. 2 years ago she created a week long forum around the travelling Holocaust museum. Her signature program was “Soup’s On”, a monthly round of talks on religions and spirituality, complete with soup and bread for lunch. Speakers outlined beliefs and practices of their faith, answering questions from audience members. Representatives from Amish to Zoroastrians have had a chance to increase understanding and tolerance in this manner. To Carol, different religions could not separate us from God or one another.
In more recent years, she co-chaired the Firestone Band Boosters (FHSIMA) with Rob and other parents, raising funds, offering technical support and marketing the fine bands to other parents and the Akron community. They also ran band camps with a spartan group of other dedicated parents. Their son Zach, would become the bassist with Akron’s “Acid Cats” and is one of many fine players from the Firestone program. He also has now become the 5th generation of musician in his family to provide music for religious services.
Besides dozens of former sisters, coworkers and students, Carol is survived by 10’s of colleagues at Stark State College, cousins, aunts, uncles and friends. Carol is survived by her husband, Rob Schehl, son, Zach Nagi- Schehl and “daughter”, Mary Clark, all of Akron. She also leaves sisters: Suzanne Levels of Westerville, Oh and Pat(ricia) (Tim) Engle of Westerville. The sisters have brought to our family nephews and nieces: Robert Levels of Chicago, Sarah Levels of Columbus, Jonathan Engle and his fiance, Kara Didonato of Columbus, and Madelyn Engle of the University of Cincinnati and beyond. Also grieving are Rob’s mother, Evelyn Schehl and sister, Christine Schehl , both of Cincinnati, his brother and sister-in –law, Tom Schehl and Kathy Levline, both of Hamilton. Carol is preceded in death by both her parents, 4 grandparents and father-in –law, Robert A. Schehl.
Carol will be missed for her gentle way, her beautiful smile and all her works to make things right in the world; she increased peoples’ understandings of God, Church, world religions and service to the world. She cooked delicious foods from around the world in the simplest of kitchens and kept her loved ones warm with hugs, afghans and quilts, which she would make like a spirit possessed.
We want to heartfully thank Dr. Stephen Andrews and all the fine physicians, nurses and staff, who escorted Carol through her year-long challenge at City Hospital. They were consistently caring, invested and responsive in their rounds with Carol.
Please join us in remembering her and celebrating her full life at calling hours Friday Dec 4th from 4-8 at Dunn-Quigley Funeral Home (3333 Kent Rd, Stow Oh 44224 330-688-3866). A Memorial Mass will be celebrated this Saturday, Dec 5th at Noon at Holy Family Parish, 3179 Kent Rd. Stow, Oh . We’ll share food and drink afterward. Come share a taste of the heavenly banquet that Carol so much wanted all to be invited to attend. More details to come.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Carol Ann Nagi, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.